House of Commons Hansard #27 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was tax.

Topics

Champlain BridgeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Beauce Québec

Conservative

Maxime Bernier ConservativeMinister of State (Small Business and Tourism)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased—

Champlain BridgeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh,oh!

Champlain BridgeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

Order, please. The hon. Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism has the floor.

Champlain BridgeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

Maxime Bernier Conservative Beauce, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today with the announcement by my colleague, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, respecting a bridge in Montreal because the people of Montreal and the surrounding area wanted a bridge. We have done it; we have responded to the people's expectations. In 10 years, people in the region of Montreal will have a safe bridge.

Science and TechnologyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Liberal

Ted Hsu Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Mr. Speaker, in the budget a targeted area of R and D under the eco-energy innovation initiative is advanced energy storage: batteries. The National Research Council is undergoing a big reorganization. Scientists are waiting to learn if they have a future at NRC, including lithium ion battery researchers, whose contracts are ending in a few months.

Would the government please encourage NRC to quickly clarify the future of this group to retain our scientific resources and align them with Canada's economic priorities?

Science and TechnologyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Cambridge Ontario

Conservative

Gary Goodyear ConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)

Mr. Speaker, no government in the history of Canada has invested so much in science and technology. The reason we are doing that is that discoveries, when they move to market, create jobs. They create better jobs. They create higher-paying jobs and improve the quality of life for all Canadians, and that is exactly what this government will continue to do.

PensionsOral Questions

October 5th, 2011 / 3 p.m.

NDP

Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government must take action to protect workers' pension plans.

In 2010, Fraser Papers in Thurso declared bankruptcy and 800 workers lost 40% of their pensions. The same thing is happening elsewhere in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.

The NDP's policy is clear. Pensions represent earnings saved by workers and they must be paid in full.

How many workers will have to lose their pensions before the government will change the law to protect retirees like those from Fraser Papers?

PensionsOral Questions

3 p.m.

Macleod Alberta

Conservative

Ted Menzies ConservativeMinister of State (Finance)

Mr. Speaker, we actually did put forward legislation to help protect those pensions that the hon. member is referring to. We reformed the framework for those pensions that are under federal jurisdiction. As we all know, the federal government actually only mandates regulations for 7%.

We encourage the provinces to follow our lead to help to make sure that we protect those pensions that seniors expect to retire with.

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Sorenson Conservative Crowfoot, AB

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government is committed to keeping our streets and our communities safe. Part of that obviously means that we have a correctional system that actually corrects offenders. Our government has taken strong actions by improving offender accountability methods through the Safe Streets and Communities Act.

However, some so-called criminal rights advocates oppose this approach. Yesterday at the public safety committee, they spoke strongly against our Conservative plan to establish drug-free prisons.

Could the minister give this House his view?

Public SafetyOral Questions

3 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Conservative

Vic Toews ConservativeMinister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work of the member.

Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to keep our streets and communities safe. Our government has a zero tolerance policy for drugs in our institutions. We reject suggestions from those who, like the NDP and its far-left comrades, continuously put the rights of criminals ahead of the rights of law-abiding Canadians.

We will continue to take action to fulfill our campaign commitment to ensure drug-free prisons.

Human ResourcesOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, once again, this government is demonstrating that when it comes to youth, it prefers to adopt a repressive approach instead of encouraging them to reintegrate into society. Every year since 2002, under the supervision of artist Jean Beaulieu, the Art-Go project has allowed 35 high school dropouts from the Trois-Rivières area to regain their self-confidence by learning how to make stained glass windows. Ninety per cent of the program participants go back to school or join the workforce. But this government has decided to cut funding to Art-Go at the same time as it is buying stained glass windows for the Senate.

Why is this government refusing to continue funding a project that works?

Human ResourcesOral Questions

3 p.m.

Haldimand—Norfolk Ontario

Conservative

Diane Finley ConservativeMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Mr. Speaker, our government has done a lot to help youth develop the skills they need to enter the workforce. There are programs to teach them how to apply for a job, how to go through an interview and how to work in an office or elsewhere.

We will continue to help youth prepare for the workforce. These programs are very popular and, unfortunately, not all programs can receive funding.

Shipbuilding IndustryOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Bloc

Jean-François Fortin Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Mr. Speaker, all economic players in Quebec, employers and workers alike, agree on one thing: Quebec's shipyards must get a significant chunk of the billions of dollars worth of shipbuilding contracts that the federal government is about to grant. Unfortunately, the only ones who refuse to take a clear stand on this issue in favour of Quebec's economy are the Conservative and NDP members from Quebec.

My question is simple: can that the Minister of Public Works and Government Services assure Quebec's shipyards that they will get their fair share of the government contracts?

Shipbuilding IndustryOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Edmonton—Spruce Grove Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeMinister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women

Mr. Speaker, I would just remind the member that this is an arm's-length competitive process that is managed by the shipbuilding secretariat. It is the one that is evaluating the bids and it will determine the winners based on the merits of their proposals.

As the member knows, the process is under way to select the winning shipyards. Neither the federal cabinet nor any politician will be involved in this decision, and this procurement is under the careful watch of two high-level interdepartmental governance committees, a fairness monitor and an international third party benchmarking firm. I should tell the House that to date the fairness monitor says that the process is fair and transparent.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Kenneth Marende, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

Costas Menegakis Conservative Richmond Hill, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention Standing Order 18, which clearly stipulates that no member shall speak disrespectfully or use offensive words against another hon. member.

In my view, the member for Winnipeg Centre used words that were inappropriate in his question to the Minister of Agriculture. I would ask the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre to reconsider his words and perhaps apologize to the Minister of Agriculture.

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

NDP

Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, if I was using words that were out of order or unparliamentary, you would have found fault with the words that I chose.

I do not believe the word “deluded”, in and of itself, is an insult. It means that someone may be misunderstanding, has a different opinion, or is missing the point. The fact that he may have had his head in the sand like an ostrich is not, in and of itself, an insult either.

I do not feel the need to withdraw these remarks unless you ask me to do so personally, Mr. Speaker. He has his opinion about what I said, and I have mine.

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I did not hear anything unparliamentary at the time. I will look at the blues and see if there is a reason to come back on this to the House.

The hon. member for Sackville—Eastern Shore is rising on a point of order.

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry SocietiesPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

NDP

Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

Mr. Speaker, as you know, this is Women's History Month. All of us in the House should be judicious in the language and use of our statements on this while in the House.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Edmonton—St. Albert has every right to his statements and he can attack the NDP any way he wishes. We do not mind that. However, when he goes after the Elizabeth Fry Society when it cannot defend itself, then I would encourage the member to say his exact words outside of the House to hear what the Elizabeth Fry Society would say.

The Elizabeth Fry Society, for many years, has been protecting the interests of women in this country. It has been protecting women who are incarcerated, many of whom are mentally ill and should not be in a prison. The Elizabeth Fry Society is known by all of us as one of the finest organizations. To be attacked in this House by any member is simply wrong. I ask the member to withdraw that statement.

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry SocietiesPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer

I see the hon. member for Edmonton—St. Albert is rising. I do caution members that we do not extend question period with extra debate through points of order.

The hon. member for Edmonton—St. Albert

Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry SocietiesPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB

Mr. Speaker, I stand by my S.O. 31. The record from yesterday's committee will reflect that I quoted the said society accurately and correctly and I stand by those statements.

Foreign AffairsRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Calgary East Alberta

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation in Industrial Research and Development Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the State of Israel. It was signed in Jerusalem on July 10, 2011.

Fisheries and OceansRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Calgary East Alberta

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. This was completed in Rome on November 22, 2009.

Search and RescueRoutine Proceedings

3:10 p.m.

Calgary East Alberta

Conservative

Deepak Obhrai ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic. This was completed in Nuuk on May 12, 2011.

An explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.